Kia Building Special-Edition Stinger GTS

Kia’s sexy Stinger blurs the lines between sedan and station wagon, brandishing athletic design, riotous dynamics and an upscale interior. Giving enthusiasts even more of what they love, the automaker will offer an enhanced model starting this spring.

Featuring real carbon fiber trim on the grille, mirror housings and side vents, the Stinger GTS is a special-edition vehicle, with production capped at just 800 units. These cars will also be offered in a retina-searing bright-orange paint job and come dressed up with special badges.

Motivating this liftback is a standard 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine. Rated at 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque, it’s paired to a standard eight-speed automatic transmission, a combo that provides scorching acceleration.

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Offering drivers choice, the Stinger GTS will be available in rear- or all-wheel-drive configurations. Cars equipped with the traction-enhancing system gain a few additional benefits. Kia calls this system D-AWD and it’s designed to make the vehicle behave more like a pure rear-driven car. It features a mechanical limited-slip differential for enhanced control in dicey conditions, plus it offers a drift mode, where 100 percent of available torque gets routed to the rear for smoky burnouts, power slides and other irresponsible-but-oh-so-fun hoonage. The transmission will also hold gears so you can keep those tires roasting if obliterating pricey rubber is your hobby.

The drive-mode selector also features other settings including Comfort, with sends up to 60 percent of torque to the rear wheels for stable performance. Sport mode routes 80 percent of available twist to the back for even an even more engaging drive.

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The Stinger’s already upscale interior is further enhanced by the addition of Alcantara trim on the steering wheel and center console. Looking skyward, the headliner is trimmed in something called Chamude, a suede-like material. A sunroof is also standard, ditto for a 720-watt Harmon/Kardon sound system and wireless charging for supported mobile devices.

Production of the Kia Stinger GTS is slated to commence this spring. Base price for a rear-wheel-drive example is projected to be $44,995 including an estimated $995 in delivery fees. If you’d prefer an example with four driven wheels, plan on spending an additional $2,500.

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